Web Developers Rate Microsoft/Windows Live Over Google, Yahoo

Searchers may prefer Google, but when it comes to developing so-called Web 2.0 sites, web developers rated Microsoft/Windows Live the best, according to a report by Evans Data Corp. Google did come in second with Yahoo coming in third. Incidentally, Google and Amazon came in first and second respectively when it comes to ease of use.

Neither ease of use or overall ranking directly correlated with profits. Paypal and eBay brought in the most dollars - albeit barely. And Paypal was apparently the bain of many a developers' existence. It ranked the worst

And while Facebook may be popular among users, developers found it to be one of the most cumbersome APIs to work with, coming in second to last. Ironically, Microsoft owns a 20% share in Facebook.